Artifact Knowledge: Optimising Your Artifact Power

With Artifact Knowledge schedule to increase again tomorrow, we're going over exactly how it works and how to optimize your Artifact Power gains. We also dispel some rumours about the system such as the common "level up your Heart of Azeroth directly before the Weekly Reset to not lose AP".\r\rFind out more in our Artifact Knowledge Guide.\r\r\r\rTL;DR\rArtifact Knowledge works exactly the same as Legion. Artifact Knowledge increases the value of all Artifact Power gains by 30%, with the display numbers changing in different places. \r\rThe best optimization you can do is to save any World Quests, Emissaries or other quest rewards to do them after the Weekly Reset, which will result in them being worth 30% more Artifact Power than before the reset. This means saving your Emissaries starting on Sunday (NA), Monday (EU). \r\rThere is NO optimization that comes from the position of your bar. Whether it's almost completely full, empty or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is whether you gain the AP before or after Artifact Knowledge drops.\r\rAm I losing AP with Artifact Knowledge? \r\rNo! You're not losing any Artifact Power previously gained, even though all the display numbers are smaller. Blizzard is making the present more lucrative, by making the past smaller. You may be losing out on some Artifact Power by doing it before Artifact Knowledge drops, but Blizzard is not taking the 5k AP you got before AK and chucking it into the drain. It's all there but worth slightly less than after the reset.\r\r\rDetails\rArtifact Knowledge has returned and will automatically increase globally for all Characters. However, there is a large change in Battle for Azeroth from Legion, but they both make it 30% faster to level your Artifact: \rLegion increased the value of all future AP rewards by 30%,\rBattle for Azeroth reduces the amount of AP requirements in the Cuore di Azeroth by ~23%. This percentage is equal to a 30% gain in Artifact Power over last week, similar to Legion.\r\rPlayers have noticed that your current AP value is reduced from before Artifact Knowledge but your progress throughout the current level will be at the same percentage.\rYou will now need less AP to finish your current level Cuore di Azeroth and this is normal, as the total AP needed to level has been reduced by a larger amount.\rBlizzard is still increasing the value of all future AP rewards by 30%, similar to Legion, but they're doing that by reducing your current level requirements and earned AP by ~23% (the inverse of a 30% gain in AP).\r\rArtifact Knowledge Example\r\rHere is an example using the real numbers of:\r30% more AP (Legion)\r~23% reduction (BFA)\r\rYou are 5,000 \/ 10,000 before the Weekly Reset to leveling up your Cuore di Azeroth. An AP token hypothetically gives you 100 AP, and thus you need 50 tokens to level up.\rLegion AK hits, you are still 5,000 \/ 10,000 but a token now gives 130 AP, you still need 38.46 tokens to level up.\rBFA AK hits, you are now 3,846 \/ 7,692. You need 38.46 tokens to level up, which is exactly the same as Legion\r\rArtifact Knowledge Rumours\rSome players believe that you want to end the Weekly Reset with a certain amount of Artifact Power to benefit more from Artifact Knowledge. This is not true and we'll cover why below. \r\rLeveling Up and Being as Low as Possible\r\rThe rumour: You should be as close to 0 as possible to minimize the amount of AP "lost" when Artifact Knowledge hits. \r\rThis isn't true, and the only thing that matters is if you do it before or after Artifact Knowledge. This is easiest shown in an example:\rYou have a level 15 Cuore di Azeroth and 6,000 \/ 8,000 into the current level. There is currently a possible 5,000 Artifact Power from quests, World Quests and other sources. \r\rScenario 1: You collect 2,000 Artifact Power before the Reset and do the remaining 3,000 Artifact Power after Artifact Knowledge. Bar at 0% of a level.\r\rYou collect 2,000 AP, putting you at level 16, 0 \/ 10,400 into the next level.\rArtifact Knowledge hits, putting you at level 16, 0 \/ 8,000 into the next level.\rYou complete the remaining 3,000 AP, putting you at level 16, 3,000 \/ 8,000.\r\rScenario 2: You collect all 5,000 Artifact Power after the Reset.\r\rYou end the week at level 15, 6,000 \/ 8,000. Bar at 75% of a level.\rArtifact Knowledge hits, putting you at level 15, 4,615 \/ 6,154.\rYou complete 1,539 Artifact Power after the reset to level up your Heart of Azeroth to level 16.\rYou complete the remaining 3,461 Artifact Power after the reset, putting you at level 16, 3,461 \/ 8,000.\r\rScenario 3: You collect all 5,000 Artifact Power before the Reset. Bar at ~30% of a level.\rYou use all the AP, leveling you up to level 16, 3,000 \/ 10,400.\rArtifact Knowledge hits, putting you at level 16 , 2,308 \/ 8,000.\r\rConclusion: Even though Scenario 1 ended at exactly 0 and "lost" no AP going from 0 -> 0 from AK, Scenario 2 (which was "decreased" from 6k -> 4.6k) actually turned out better! Even Scenario, which "decreased" from 3k -> 2.3k with AK, turned out even worse than Scenario 1. Thus, the amount of Artifact Power you have in a level has no impact on the Artifact Power gains, and the only thing that matters is whether you gain the AP before or after Artifact Knowledge drops.\r\rBeing Close But Not Leveling Up\r\rThe rumour: You should be as close to hitting a new level as possible without hitting it.\r\rWe'll add Scenario 4 to the above to show this one:\r\rScenario 4: You collect 1,999 Artifact Power before the Reset and the remaining 3,001 Artifact Power after. Bar at 99% of a level.\r\rYou collect 1,999 AP, putting you at level 15, 7,999 \/ 8,000 into the next level.\rArtifact Knowledge hits, putting you at level 15, 6,153 \/ 6,154.\rYou complete the remaining 3,001 Artifact Power after the reset, putting you at level 16, 3,000 \/ 8,000.\r\rThis is exactly equal to Scenario 1! Why? Because the difference between 0% level 16 and 99% level 15 is exactly 1 Artifact Power. \r\rConclusion: Don't optimize your Artifact Power gains based on the position of your bar. Whether it's almost completely full, empty or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is whether you gain the AP before or after Artifact Knowledge drops. If you want to optimize your AP gains, save everything that you can for after Artifact Knowledge, or even multiples as each AK level will increase it more.

Commenti

Commento di grayshirt

If you end up with a .8 somewhere, either the cap or current AP amount. Are they rounding them down in either case?

Commento di XxTimetoKillxX

on 2018-09-03T05:32:35-05:00

Very thorough explanations. I wish Blizzard would improve upon this system moving forward so as to not make players who complete content very quickly feel like they wasted their effort, without also punishing more casual players. That might be impossible just given the nature of the AP system though.

Commento di Goldblaze

on 2018-09-03T05:37:08-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.

Commento di jimbobaus

on 2018-09-03T05:48:39-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rLol I guess simple maths is beyond you. \rYou do not loose ap. You still require the same percentage to level up the neck.

Commento di piocc

on 2018-09-03T05:49:24-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP

This mythbusting is exactly because many people, like you, think we lose AP. We don't

Edit: you could see it as an "AP squish" instead of an AP loss, don't know if this helps fix your perception of it..

Commento di lankybrit

on 2018-09-03T05:50:39-05:00

Gosh who cares? Just get your AP and don't worry about min maxing it.

Commento di Xagothae

on 2018-09-03T05:53:47-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rThat we're working with relative values is entirely the point, though. You're not losing progress. If in your case, they kept the total amount you've gained, giving you 15k\/22k, you're now at 68% of the way through the level which also isn't fair. If they kept the Legion system of increasing the amount gained or using this way, the numbers all work out to be the same in the end. It's about the perception of the system more than anything else.

Commento di Soeroah

on 2018-09-03T05:56:20-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rFine, it's an AP loss, but you don't lose any progress toward the next level.\r\rInstead of thinking about in terms of "losing AP", turn your thinking around and think of it in terms of this: if your current amount of AP DIDN'T reduce by 30% along with the requirement to level, you'd essentially be getting extra progress for doing nothing.\r\rThe numbers may shrink, but the effort doesn't. Retroactively, what you did to earn 400 AP last week became 30% less than 400, to keep you at the same level of progression. \r\rIt's just a UI change. Imagine not seeing AP in numerical value, and only seeing it as a percentage. That is, imagine we could ONLY see the percentage of AP toward the next level in our progress bar. Every week as AK hits, our percentage doesn't change, but we know any future gains will be a larger percentage of each level than they were last week.

Commento di daros

on 2018-09-03T06:07:16-05:00

Blizzard on purpose did "Hide" current Artifact Power from players to avoid such a confusion. \rPeople who don't understand math should not install add-ons \/ weak auras that pull out numbers that make them only more confused.\rBefore reset you were on 50% and missing 5k AP ?\rNow you are at 50% and missing ~3k AP to next level.\r\rThats all you should know.

Commento di Sabinno

on 2018-09-03T06:07:30-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.

Let's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.

I do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.

In other words, we lose AP.

We don't lose any AP, the value , numbers and amounts are just labels. What matters is progression , with WoW that was always what mattered. You didn't farm 15k AP, you farmed 50% of a level. 15k AP is just a made up number that only has any meaning that single week.

What blizzard is doing is similar to a stat squish of 23% every week only this time its on AP.

It was the same as legion, except instead of feeling like you lost AP in legion you felt like you could've made more if you waited. Its a catch up mechanism, the same that it was placed in legion.

In legion if you farmed the same amount of islands on Wednesday , they would had given you 19500 instead of the 15k you farmed the week before. Nothing really changed except the fact that now numbers will never grow bigger.

It's simple 5th graders math really.

Commento di Thyrrus

on 2018-09-03T06:48:15-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rSo, the way i see this, this is rather dense. \rIf we'd do math the way you'd do it, you actually "gained" 4k.\r1. 15k\/30k ~ You need 15k to level up\r2. 11k\/22k ~ You need 11k to level up\r\rProgression will always be the same, you always "gain" more AP but in a different way.\rSure, you could've optimized more by not doing it on the day before, but thats a choice you make in a system that you knew about.\rComplaining about a known system is like hitting your head on a wall on purpose.

Commento di s2337

on 2018-09-03T06:50:14-05:00

Well for me it's pretty easy - we loose AP.\r\rLet's say the reset comes tomorrow.\r\rIf i do my emissary today I will be worse off vs if i postpone it and do it tomorrow - I think this statement is correct according to all math fiction and it clearly means one thing - don't do your AP if reset is coming because you will loose some of it.,\r\rWhich is idiotic. A game that rewards postponing playing instead of rewarding doing something now.

Commento di Goldblaze

on 2018-09-03T06:50:45-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rWe don't lose any AP, the value , numbers and amounts are just labels. What matters is progression , with WoW that was always what mattered. You didn't farm 15k AP, you farmed 50% of a level. 15k AP is just a made up number that only has any meaning that single week. \r\rWhat blizzard is doing is similar to a stat squish of 23% every week only this time its on AP.\r\rIt was the same as legion, except instead of feeling like you lost AP in legion you felt like you could've made more if you waited. Its a catch up mechanism, the same that it was placed in legion.\r\rIn legion if you farmed the same amount of islands on Wednesday , they would had given you 19500 instead of the 15k you farmed the week before. Nothing really changed except the fact that now numbers will never grow bigger.\r\rIt's simple 5th graders math really.\r\rIf I do 15k worth of AP farm on tuesday and the game only "acknowledges" 11k worth of AP the next day, I basically don't care that the "relative progression" is the same. I have done 67 heroic Island expeditions for 15k AP and I'd still get 15k AP for 67 expeditions had I done them on wednesday morning, it's just that I'd be filling up a bigger portion of the bar, therefore they'd be WORTH more towards the new level. \r\rBut that DOESN'T MATTER. What matters to me is that I have done a certain amount of repeatable content to earn a specific amount of AP that then gets squished the next day because Blizzard wants to relativize it instead of just keeping both 15k AND squishing the amount needed (although they might need to adjust amount needed for next level to compensate). Which is how it worked in Legion. Farming 3k AP via Maw of Souls was worth 3k AP via Maw of Souls on the day you got your next AK, you just started earning more.\r\rSo in short, everyone who disagreed with what I said basically just regurgitated washed up arguments defending Blizzard and claiming people don't know math when in fact, I do know math and I perfectly understand what you're saying. What you don't seem to understand is what exactly is my beef with this system, and if I didn't manage to explain it to you plainly already, chances are you will never understand.

Commento di TT275X

on 2018-09-03T06:59:15-05:00

Well for me it's pretty easy - we loose AP.\r\rLet's say the reset comes tomorrow.\r\rIf i do my emissary today I will be worse off vs if i postpone it and do it tomorrow - I think this statement is correct according to all math fiction and it clearly means one thing - don't do your AP if reset is coming because you will loose some of it.,\r\rWhich is idiotic. A game that rewards postponing playing instead of rewarding doing something now.\r\rI think we can all agree on that part :-)

Commento di GCrab789

on 2018-09-03T07:08:08-05:00

If you think anything other than the % of your bar matters, you are just flat out wrong. If I have 25% of a bar full and then they squish what I need and now I have 25% of my bar full any reasoning other than hey look I have the same amount is just factually wrong. Blizzard should just replace the AP numbers with a % so people don't have to try to recall grade school math.

Commento di TOMRUS

on 2018-09-03T07:26:16-05:00

No matter how you spin it, I still think you do lose AP. You earned X AP, but after AK kicks in you have less AP, hence AP lost. Simple as that. And it doesn't matter that new AP gives you same progress. They should not squish gained AP, only required AP. When new AK hits, just recalculate new level based on total AP gained.

Commento di 66zjy

on 2018-09-03T07:28:04-05:00

I guess people should revisit the idea of inflation and deflation if they believe they actullay lost AP.

Commento di BooJoh

on 2018-09-03T07:31:32-05:00

If I do 15k worth of AP farm on tuesday and the game only "acknowledges" 11k worth of AP the next day, I basically don't care that the "relative progression" is the same. I have done 67 heroic Island expeditions for 15k AP and I'd still get 15k AP for 67 expeditions had I done them on wednesday morning, it's just that I'd be filling up a bigger portion of the bar, therefore they'd be WORTH more towards the new level. \r\rBut that DOESN'T MATTER. What matters to me is that I have done a certain amount of repeatable content to earn a specific amount of AP that then gets squished the next day because Blizzard wants to relativize it instead of just keeping both 15k AND squishing the amount needed (although they might need to adjust amount needed for next level to compensate). Which is how it worked in Legion. Farming 3k AP via Maw of Souls was worth 3k AP via Maw of Souls on the day you got your next AK, you just started earning more.\r\rSo in short, everyone who disagreed with what I said basically just regurgitated washed up arguments defending Blizzard and claiming people don't know math when in fact, I do know math and I perfectly understand what you're saying. What you don't seem to understand is what exactly is my beef with this system, and if I didn't manage to explain it to you plainly already, chances are you will never understand.\r\rYour complaint is literally just that a number gets smaller, even though it's functionally identical to how they did it in Legion. The Legion equivalent of what you're asking for now would be if they took the amount of AP visible on your bar and applied AK to it on reset, thus increasing the number and giving you free AP that you didn't earn.\r\rThe way it works now is identical to Legion in terms of reward to effort ratio. Either way you can maximize your earnings by not earning any AP that could be saved until after AK goes up.\r\rOr you can just earn AP when you feel like it, not worry about the numbers on the bottom of the screen, and just realize that all it really means in the grand scheme of things is that characters who start BfA content later can get the lower ilvl Azerite traits faster so they're not perpetually months\/years behind everyone else.

Commento di uklerke

on 2018-09-03T07:39:57-05:00

No matter how you spin it, I still think you do lose AP. They should not squish gained AP, only required AP. When new AK hits, just recalculate new level based on total AP gained.\r\r\ri would love this change, if i understand it correctly. i would never need to do content again. because all my effort up to this point should be recalculated so i get 30% more progress each week without doing anyting.

Commento di Bradwr

on 2018-09-03T07:40:21-05:00

I don't understand this "mythbusting" that you're trying to do. People are absolutely right when they say they lose AP.\r\rLet's say that tuesday morning (I am in the EU), the day before reset, I am 0\/30000 AP. And during that day, I do 15k AP worth of Island expeditions. I am going to be at 15k\/30k which is 50%. Wednesday morning hits, and now I am 11k\/22k (hypothetically, doesn't matter how much the amount needed for next level will be "squished"). Technically, I am at the same percentage, and I still need to fill up half the AP bar that I needed before I went to bed, but now I lost 4k AP that I did yesterday, it was TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I did not farm 11k yesterday, I farmed 15k, and I want my 4k AP back. If I farmed the same amount of Islands at wednesday, it would still be worth 15k, only now it would fill up a bigger percentage of the AP bar.\r\rI do not care that you decide to use math against players by using relative values, it's still AP loss. The amount you farm the day before reset and next AK is not the same, it will be a smaller number despite the fact that if you do the farm next day (after AK hits) the farm you do will be worth the same as it would be worth on tuesday.\r\rIn other words, we lose AP.\r\rBy your logic you shouldn\u2019t collect any AP until the end of the expansion so you get the most bang for your buck.